


Life's No Fairytale

by ClockworkAngel117



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Blood, Eventual relationship, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Language, Magic, OC farmer - Freeform, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Violence, mines, not the normal trio of friends, rated M for future chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2019-06-30 18:28:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15757305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClockworkAngel117/pseuds/ClockworkAngel117
Summary: Carrisa Moongrove leaves Zuzu city after a fire causes her to lose her job, and her life is turned upside down.  Unsure of herself and scared of what she is becoming, she flees, leaving her old life behind to head for Pelican Town, where her grandfather had left her his land in passing.





	1. City Girl to Country Hills

**_Burning_ ** _, she felt burning throughout her lungs, her chest, her entire body._ **_Run!_ ** _Move faster!  Her legs threatened to betray her, but fear was a better motivator._ **_Something_ ** _was coming. A dark figure was in pursuit, and it moved unnaturally quick.  It wasn't human, though she refused to look back and take time to figure out what exactly_ **_it_ ** _was.  The dark shadow was on her heels and there was suddenly chanting.  It was a different language than her own, yet somehow it felt familiar.  A loud shriek came from the monster behind her as it vanished in a blinding flash of light.  She turned to see the creature...dissolve? Ashes floated in the wind where it once stood._

 _The voice continued speaking in its ancient tongue.  "I don't understand! What do you want?!" The petite girl called out; the woods around her carried her cry in an echo that bounced off every space.  She walked for what felt like a half an hour until she finally saw the first landmark since she arrived. Before her stood a tall, dark, stone tower.  A sharp twinge of pain behind her eyes and temple caused her to cradle her head._ **_Fireworks._ ** _The pain felt like fireworks all exploding inside her head and worsened as she approached the tower then stopped suddenly as she reached the door._ **_Carrissa._ ** _Her name?  It said her name._ **_Turn back.  You do not belong here.  It's not yet time._ **

_A hole opened beneath her feet and she began to fall.  She tried to scream but no sound escaped her lips. There was nothing for her to grab to stop the fall.  She closed her eyes and anticipated the painful yet swift death that awaited her...but it never came._

Or...Maybe death had come, but in the slow and agonizing form of a Joja Cubicle.  Her mother was definitely right, life was no fairytale. Dreams of magic, ancient tongues, monsters and spells were not something a twenty three year old should be having at all.  As a child, sure, but not as an adult. You were expected to grow up, get a job, work the nine to five, go home, eat, sleep, and repeat. There were no princes on white horses coming to save her from her boring world.  If magic did exist, it sure wasn't in her life. There was not an ounce of anything magical about Joja Company, except maybe how she had dealt with the company's bullshit for so long. A sigh escaped Carrissa’s lips as she began working through her piles of paperwork.  Checking, double checking and triple checking everyone's budget allowances, reports and anything else sent her way made her head swim.

Her headache from this morning lingered into her work day.  She massaged her temple in a circular motion as she tried to cease the drums playing in her head, pounding away at her skull.  As if her day wasn't bad enough, her boss had come to her cubicle doing his daily progress checks with all the employees. Slave Driver Darrell is what a few of the workers had nicknamed him, and accurately so.  Darrell believed strongly in, wait for it.... "No breaks on company time, Miss Moongrove. Do you want to have a job at the end of the day?"

"Y-yes sir, it's just... My migraine is back, so I needed just a minute-"  

A large hand slammed on her desk before her and knocked some of her personal items from the surface to the floor.  "No. Breaks!" The man raised his voice with each word, and Carri's head throbbed worse every moment.

Standing, she glared daggers at her boss.  If looks could kill, he would no longer be standing.  "No breaks. Coming from the man who does nothing but harp on everyone else all damn day long!  Coming from the man who goes on the clock for his lunch, twice a damn day! I needed a fucking minute to take a pill, and that is too much to ask!?"  She pushed the paperwork off her desk. "If you can't appreciate us any more than this, then by Yoba, do this yourself!" Flames erupted from her computer at that moment and she stepped back quickly.  Darrell ran to grab the fire extinguisher from a nearby wall and smothered the flames.

"Pack what’s left of your things, Miss Moongrove.  We do not need arsonists in this company."

Carri trembled as she packed the rest of her belongings from her desk.   _He thinks...I did that?  That isn't even possible...  Bad timing, sure, but..._ When she arrived home, she set the box of her things down on her bed.  An envelope from her grandfather caught her eye. Opening it carefully and reading the contents a small smile crossed her features.   _I could definitely use that escape now, Papa.  Thank you._

 

* * *

  


From the bus, Carrissa watched as the scenery rolled by her.  The city faded into green hills as a cold breath left her lips.  It was like watching a fairy tale unfold before her. Cement sidewalks and asphalt roads soon turned to dirt roads or small stone walkways.  Trees and flowers bloomed beautifully along the sides of the road, and the suffocating, polluted air of the city was replaced by a fresh nature-filled inhalation.  The young adult gripped her grandfather's envelope tightly. Maybe this was just the escape she needed. Leaving her past behind was no small task, but maybe her Papa's farm could do just the unwinding trick.  

After what seemed like hours, the bus she had chosen finally came to a halt.  Standing, with her straight, raven black hair falling halfway down her back, the pale girl adjusted her sunglasses to rest atop her head and her bag strap more comfortably on her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she stepped off the bus.  A woman with a fiery, messy, orange bun approached her, looking over the newcomer with a smile. "Ah, you must be Carrissa! I'm Robin, the town carpenter. Mayor Lewis sent me to fetch you and show you the way back to your home. He is there tidying some things up as we speak."  Carrissa nodded as she followed the carpenter, taking a right out of the bus stop and walking a short distance to her soon to be new home.

Walking into the farm was a lot more overwhelming than the young new farmer had hoped.  Weeds were overgrown, stone was all over, and fallen branches littered her yard. Taking a deep breath, she walked forward to meet the mayor her grandfather spoke of so highly.  Surely they just didn't have time to maintain Breezy Hills. It had been over ten years since her papa's passing.

"Oh! Hello, Miss Moongrove!"

 Lewis fidgeted with his mustache a lot as he spoke.  She began to wonder if he was as nervous showing her the farm as she was moving in.  Pushing that thought aside, she moved forward to shake the man's hand that was now extended towards her. Her wandering mind had once again gotten the best of her as she examined her surroundings as the Mayor and Robin spoke.  Her attention was pulled back towards the end of the conversation when Robin spoke up.

"I believe she may be a bit tired from all her traveling, Lewis.  I’ll see you another time. If ya’ need anything, I live in the mountains just northeast of here.  There’s a path leading from the north of your farm. I hope to help with some upgrades and farm buildings soon!"  

Offering a nod of both thank you and agreement, Carrissa brought her attention back to Lewis.  "Inside you will find some old tools your grandfather had lying around. They may need to be upgraded to clear out the larger debris, but for the smaller things and getting started this should do.  Make sure to get some rest, and afterwards introduce yourself to the townsfolk! They are all pretty excited to meet you."  
"Thank you again, Lewis.  I will try my best to do that after getting started."  The emerald-orbed girl smiled once more before waving as the mayor departed back towards what she assumed was town.

Just how long had passed since she had been here?  Carri couldn't recall the date she last saw her papa.  In fact, it had been more of him visiting her in the city than her coming to the farm.  Maybe if she had visited more, she would at least know how to make things look better, or at least where to start.  For now, she decided on unpacking, getting settled in, and maybe finding those tools Lewis had mentioned.

Hours later, the girl found herself in blue jean overall shorts with a soft red shirt underneath and a pair of workboots.  Her belongings had been unpacked, the tools had been found, and she had started clearing out her way to the mountain path. Sweat beaded across her forehead and she wiped it away with her arm.  Her desk job had been nothing like the physical labor she was doomed to endure as she cleaned up the farm. Promising herself she would take it slow and stop when it began to get dark was an issue in itself.  Carri never cared for giving in early, but with each hill she came across the more she thought she could do. It was close to eight when her energy was spent, maybe a bit too much. The pale girl was surely sunburnt and her muscles ached with every movement. However, she had yet to plant the parsnips given to her by Lewis.  She made planting the seeds her last task for the night before heading in.

The next morning came too swiftly.  Carri rolled over in bed and smacked her buzzing alarm off the table.  A groan escaped her lips before she could muster the strength to crawl out of bed.  Slinking her legs over the edge of her mattress, she tied her hair back and pulled on another set of overalls.  

"Time to get this over with,"  She mumbled while rubbing the last bit of sleep from her eyes.  Stepping into the bright sunlight was worse than having a light turned on while you are just waking up, in her opinion.  Worse than that, though, was her eyes adjusting to the outside brightness just to see crows pecking at her newly planted parsnips!  

"NO! NO! NO!"  She bolted off her porch and towards the crops, she waved her arms, shooing the pesky birds away.  As the birds took flight, a burning smell filled her with a sense of dread. Turning around to look at her crops, she witnessed all the small sprouts wilting as flames engulfed the patch.  "Oh, shit, oh, shit...."

Before thinking, Carri tried to stomp out the burning plants, leaving a small burn on her leg, but successfully putting the fire out. _What was going on? First the fire at her terminal, now the fire here. There had to be a logical explanation_ . _Magic doesn’t exist.  This is real life, not some fairy tale._  Her mother had drilled that into her enough.  But why did all these odd occurrences have to keep happening around her?  


	2. Trophy Fathers

Summer's raging temperatures had finally decreased; the season was almost over, and Carrissa was thankful for the light, cool breeze fall promised to deliver. After she finished tending her crops and disposing of the ones that would not produce the next season, she made one last trip to her coop. She rushed around as she fed her chickens, Selice and Marley,  making sure to pet each of them before collecting the large eggs and gathering the mayonnaise from her maker.

"Sorry guys, I promise I'll spend more time with you tomorrow!" 

When she left the farm building and exited her surrounding fence, she saw Maru near her farm exit. A smile spread across her features as she ran to meet her best friend. "Maru, hey! Did you get the soil samples your dad wanted?"

The carpenter's daughter held up a few labeled bags of soil. "Yeah, now that we've gotten some from your farm, we can help you decide where to plant your fall crops. I'm going to bring these to the lab. Meet you at my place after you're done with your errands?" 

“Yeah, see you there, Maru!”

Maru adjusted her glasses and waved, leaving the farm towards her mountain home.

Carrissa entered her house, showered, and changed before grouping up her offerings to the junimos for the summer season. It had been a few months since Lewis had opened up the community center for her. She tried cleaning up most of the mess, but a lot of the furnishings were run down and beyond her repair. She wanted to do something about it, and in exchange for her gifts, the Junimos seemed fine with helping her. 

Maru frequently asked her why she visited the run down building and lectured her on how it probably wasn’t safe. How would she ever explain the sprites to her?  _ "Hey, I know we are, like, super logical adults an stuff, but did you know about the little magical guys running around the abandoned community center?" Yeah, that would go well.  _

_ "By the way Maru, um, that burn you helped me with wasn't just an accident! I kind of torched my crops!" Yeah, perfect. Perfect if I'm trying to lose my best friend and get Harvey to commit me. _

* * *

When Carri arrived on the beach around noon, Sam and Vincent were the only two there. The farmer walked over to Sam and took a seat beside him in the sand as she watched Vincent play. The sound of waves crashing against the shore created such a soothing ambiance that it could have put her to sleep. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.  _ The beach is the best for unwinding after tending my crops and animals for sure. So peaceful and quiet.  _ Sam's voice interrupted her train of thought. "Ya know, I take Vincent here a lot during the summer. Our dad used to take us here when it was sunny out."

Carrissa turned to face the blonde. Today was the first day he had brought his dad up in conversation, and she didn't want to interrupt. This was a touchy topic, that was evident by the way Sam looked off into the horizon somewhere far across the ocean's rippling waves and past the sun's rays reflecting on the water surface and his fists clenched at his sides. After hearing the mention of their father, Vincent dropped his toys and came over to the two. "Sam? Is dad ever gonna come home?"

Sam forced a smile for his brother's sake. "Of course, Vince! Dad is gonna come back as soon as he can."

"But, I heard some grown ups talking about how people were getting shot to pieces." The young child frowned as tears threatened to fall.

"Don't you listen to any of that!" There was an angry tick in his voice. Who would talk like that in front of a child whose dad is at war? "Do you remember how strong dad is?" He flexed his muscles and let a grin grace his face. "He'd never let the pathetic Gotoro grunts get him like that! And always remember that mom and I are here to play with you if you ever get lonely. Okay, bud?" He patted his younger brother's head reassuringly as Vincent went back to playing in the sand. 

When his brother was out of earshot, he continued, "Honestly, I have no idea if my old man will come back...We've all read the reports. Our soldiers are falling by the thousands, but what am I supposed to tell Vincent?"

Carri thought hard on her next words. It was hard seeing Sam seem so vulnerable. Out of her circle of friends she made in the valley, he was her sun, as corny as it sounded. He was literally the ray of positivity in their group and she'd be damned if she let him feel down and out. "Hey, you did the right thing. Kids should have hope, and so should you, Sammy. I'm sure you will see your dad again." She patted her friend's back. "Ya know, I still hope to meet my dad again." 

_ He isn't the only one who doesn't like to speak of his parents.  _ She released a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding. She looked over to Sam and it was as if his eyes were asking for her to continue. "My dad left when I was five. I remember him and my mother fighting. Ya know, it was my fault now that I think about it." She leaned back propping herself up on her elbows in the sand. 

"I didn't really understand why he was so mad or why he left." She looked over to him, and saw worry in the crease of his brow.  _ Aw, come on, Carri! You are supposed to be cheering him up! Not bringing him down.  _ "A-anyway, I think kids need hope. We all do. Life would just suck without it. They need something to dream of, something to look forward to."

Sam smiled at Carri. The farmer looked so peaceful, leaning back, propped up in the sand. "You're right. Thanks, dude!"

Getting up from her spot, she dusted the sand off her clothing, legs and arms. "See ya around, Sammy. I've gotta meet up with Maru and check some stuff out! See ya around!" Offering a wave as goodbye, she headed north of the beach and through the town, making her way to the mountain home in which her best friend resided.

* * *

 

"Thanks for helping us set the table, Carri." Robin grinned as she and Maru carried serving dishes full of steaming hot spaghetti and garlic rolls to the table. It was becoming a norm for the family to have Carrissa over for lunch and in exchange for their hosting she always brought crops or fish to contribute. "I have one last favor to ask of you before we eat."

Before the carpenter voiced her thought, Carri knew good and well what she wanted. "I'll go get him." She gently knocked on the basement door. "I'm coming in, Sebastian."  The basement was enveloped in darkness minus the light coming from the computer screen; the scent of menthol filled the room. Rapidly tapping at his keyboard, Sebastian sat in the faint glow of his monitor.  “Food’s ready and Robin wanted me to get you.”

“I’m busy working.  Can’t you tell?” Short and to the point, just like Sebastian.  Carri sighed, not willing to accept his answer. 

“Seb, you’re always working unless you’re smoking, sleeping or hanging with Sam and Abby.  Would it kill you to spend just a little time with your family? Your mom wants to eat as a family for once, and after how hard she has worked putting together a meal, you should at least give her that.”

Sebastian stood with such force that his office chair flung back and loudly struck the wall.  Being told what to do was not something he found enjoyable. “The only  _ family  _ I have here is mom.  Why should I have to sit through dinner with  _ him  _ and his  _ perfect daughter?   _ Or you for that matter?  You seem to be taking my place in this family anyway.”  The look on his face was a mix of pain and anger. 

Carri released a frustrated growl.  “Would you stop being so damn selfish?!  Look, just because you don’t like Demetrius, doesn’t mean you should hurt your mom and sister.  What did Maru ever do to you?”

“Everything she does is just perfect, she’s so smart!- Did you know she’s on the successful track in life?”  A heavy weight hung in the air between the two. “As soon as I have the money, I’m out of here.” Pulling his chair back to his desk, Sebastian took his seat once more.  “No one ever bothers mom when she is working or Maru when she’s at the clinic. Do you guys just think I’m playing computer games? I’m a programmer. I  _ do  _ have a job.  I  _ do  _ make my own money.  Now if you would, leave me to it.”  

Carrissa fought back angry tears, taking steps two at a time as she climbed to the exit of the basement.   _ Is that really what he thinks?  Demetrius cares about both of them.  He may be more tough on Sebastian, but it’s because he hides away all day.  He just wants what’s best for both his kids… And Maru shouldn’t be held accountable for their father’s actions toward him.   _ Taking a deep breath, she composed herself before opening the door.

Carri took her spot at the table and spun her fork in the noodles before her.  Robin’s spaghetti was amazing, but her appetite was nonexistent after her quarrel with Sebastian.  Before she knew it, everyone had finished eating and conversation ensued. “I’m gonna go a bit early today.  I have a lot of chores to do, and I wanted to check out the mines and see if I can gather some copper ore for Clint.  Thank you again, Robin! See you guys later!” 

Lifting her bag from the couch near the entrance, Carri tossed it over her shoulder and headed for the mines.   _ Yoba, I need to hit something. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys again for reading! Feel free to add me on tumblr if you want to talk about the story or fandom or anything for that matter! I'm ShriaLaharra on there! Gonna try to update on a biweekly basis.


	3. A Trip to the Mines

Carrissa took a deep breath as she entered the mines.  To the left, there was a broken down mine cart and ahead... _an old guy I’ve never met?  I thought Lewis said I had met everyone.  What’s with his getup? A cape, walking stick and an eye patch?_ “Um… Hello?  Are you alright, sir?”  Her voice pulled the man’s attention from the hole he was peering down.  

“I was just checking out this mine shaft.  It seems it’s been abandoned for decades, but there is probably good ore down there.”  

“Actually, I was here to search for ore!  Clint requested some copper ore and in exchange he’s upgrading my tools.”  Was this her lucky day or what? All she had to do was go down a creaky, old ladder into a dark hole.   _Yeah, no biggie.  Nothing could_ **_possibly_ ** _go wrong.  You’ve got this, Carri!_

“But a dark place, undisturbed for so long...I’m afraid ore may not be the only thing you find down there.”   _Or not._

“So, like bats and spiders?”  The raven haired girl shrugged.  “It’s not like nature is the worst thing in the world.”  

“There could be much worse than that, but if you’re sure you want to go down, at least take this.”  The old man dug through his bag before pulling out a wooden sword and passing it to Carri. “The name’s Marlon by the way.  I run the Adventurers’ Guild outside of here.”

“No offense, but if there is worse than that, why only give me a wooden sword?”    Lifting the sword, she swung it about like a child with a toy.

“This,” he motioned to her, “is exactly why I gave you a wooden sword.  Do you think I’m gonna give just _anyone_ a real sword without evaluating them- making sure they know how to use one?”

“I’ve seen movies.  How hard could it be?”  She rolled her eyes as he tapped his walking stick on the ground away from him.  

“If you insist it’s not so hard then come at me with all you’ve got.  Surely, you can get a hit on an old man. I’m not as agile as I once was.”

“Don’t blame me, if you get hurt, old man!”   _This should be easy.  He’s leaving himself wide open!_ Holding the wooden sword with two hands, she charged forward, swinging horizontally when she got close.  She was met not with a satisfying _thunk_ she was expecting, but a moment of confusion as the man stepped into the attack and ducked the blade.  Having thrown all her weight into the swing, she stumbled. His foot darted out, connecting with her ankle and sent her crashing to the ground.  Pain flared in her shoulder as she landed and then in her head as she felt the smack from his walking cane.

Carri cradled her throbbing head as he stood over her, his head shaking in disbelief.  “Just because you think you have an opening, doesn’t mean there is one! Evaluate the situation and never underestimate your enemy.”

She growled through “You are the one who said you weren’t agile!”  

“As agile as I once was.”  He corrected. “Now, try again, and this time use your brain.”

Hours of practice and many cane smacks later, Marlon finally decided she might be able to wield a blade after all.  Giving her a rusty sword, he departed. Carri sighed as she glanced at her watch. It was already four in the afternoon, and she hadn’t managed to get a single ore.   _Tomorrow, then…_

Shaking her head in defeat, she made her way back towards the farmhouse. She wouldn’t have much time to get ready for dinner at Jodi’s with how much time she had spent in the mines.  Lucky for her, she had caught a largemouth bass just the day before.

A quick shower and change of clothes later, Carri made her way back into town with  a cooler in her hand to keep the fish fresh as possible. She headed south through the town square and was just about to turn at Emily and Haley’s home when she heard him.  “Watch out!” The petite girl quickly raised her arms in defense against the oncoming skateboard and boy as she screamed. She didn’t have time to dodge and braced for impact!  Which... never came?

Carri’s eyes widened in panic as she took in the sight.  Sam who had been skateboarding on the rail of Emily’s flower bed attempting a kick flip, now laid on the ground from his fall.  His board was frozen to the side of the bartender’s house, parallel to the ground. As the blonde sat up, he looked from the board to Carri then back.  “C-Carri? What the hell?” He stood and touched the ice in disbelief. “What is-”

“SAMSON! YOU BETTER NOT BE SKATEBOARDING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AGAIN!”  Lewis’ voice came from afar and Sam turned white as a ghost.

“Shoot, Carri, help me break this down!  If Lewis sees I will be in trouble again!”  Still in shock, Carri nodded and moved to help him break the board loose.  “On the count of three! 1...2….3!” He exclaimed as they pushed down together and  managed to break it from its icy prison. “Let’s get inside, quick!” Sam hauled Carri into his home by the hand.  A soft sigh fell from his lips when the door clicked behind them.

The raven haired girl stared off into space as she tried to figure out just what was going on.   _Life’s no fairytale, Carri.  Life’s no fairytale… But magic, it exists.  And I_ **_can’t_ ** _escape it._

Taking her hand in his, Sam lead Carri to his bedroom and gently shut the door, hoping his mother wouldn’t have heard them entering the house.  It was almost seven and the clinks and clanks of dishes sounded from the kitchen as Jodi busied herself with preparing dinner. “Yoba, what the hell, Carri?!  How did you do that? That was insane!”

Body trembling, she looked up to Sam who stood inches taller than her.  “W-what’s wrong with me, Sam?” Tears began to form and fall down her cheeks.  “What **_am_ ** I?”  

“Hey, calm down, alright?”  He gently rubbed the now sobbing girl’s back and pulled her into a hug.  “I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s just- not every day do you see something like that!  Have you always had magical powers? Dude, we gotta tell Seb and Abs! They are never gonna believe me!”

 Carri vehemently shook her head and pulled away from his warm embrace.  “Please don’t tell anyone, Sam! If I explain what I know will you promise not to tell?”  Her friend frowned but nodded and with that confirmation, Carri began to tell him everything, from the fire at Joja to the fire on the farm, now the ice here.  “I-I don’t know why it happens, or how. I always tried to chalk it up to a freak accident before.” Her head lowered. “I guess I’m right. Just, I’m the freak here instead.”  She had finally stopped crying, but now she seemed lost.

“No, you-”  

A knock at his door startled the boy and he looked apologetically over to Carri.  Jodi opened his door and gave Sam a ‘We’ll-talk-later’ look, but smiled warmly at the girl.  “So you’ve come to join us after all. I’m glad, and I see you brought the bass! Sam, could you clean it up so I can add it to the casserole?  Dinner will be ready soon, Carri! It’s so nice to have you!”

“A-actually, Jodi, I was just going to drop off the fish and go.  I don’t want to intrude.” _I just want to go home._

“You are no intrusion, sweetie!  You are basically family! Now, come and sit at the table.  It shouldn’t be much longer.”

Jodi left Sam’s room with the two of them behind her.  Carri sat at the table as told, but her mind once again had wandered off.  It wasn’t until she noticed everyone was staring at her and food had been placed before her that she realized she missed a question.  “I-I’m sorry? What was that?”

“I asked how things were going on the farm?”  Jodi repeated with a concerned look on her face.  “You seem to stay pretty busy now. You should make sure to stop by more often and have dinner with us.  You are always welcome here!”

“Y-yeah, I’m sorry.  I’ve been drained. I finally cleared the field completely and have a decent number of crops plus my chickens and Addie to take care of.  I will try to visit more… Sorry for worrying you.”

The rest of dinner went by with short replies from Carri and Vincent excitedly talking about his adventures with Jas.  Sam continued glancing at Carri between bites until dinner was over. “Mom, I’m gonna walk Carri home. It’s getting late.”  

“Alright, but don’t stay out too late!”  Jodi stood from her spot at the table and began gathering dishes.  “Vincent, bath then bed.” Together, Sam and Carri walked out of his home as she mentally prepared for an awkward walk back to the farmhouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so so sorry this took so long to get out. I've had a lot of stuff going on that has been keeping me too busy to write. Hopefully, things have calmed down now enough for me to get on a regular schedule again. Anyway, thank you for reading!


	4. Too Many Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sam walks Carri home and Carri meets the wizard.

With neither Sam nor Carri speaking for most of the walk, silence hung heavily between them.  Carri felt his gaze burning through her as they reached her cabin in Breezy Hills. “Ya’ know, I’m not Vincent.  You didn’t have to walk me home like I’m some child needing an adult.” Her venom laced words rolled off her tongue, and Sam flinched at the sharpness of her tone.  

Biting his lip, he nodded.  “I know that, but I also know you are my friend, and you are scared.  I wasn’t about to leave you alone without making sure you are okay. I can’t pretend to know how all this feels, but seriously, dude, if you need me, you know I’m here- right?”   _Yeah, right._

“You can’t even start to imagine what I’m going through!  I’m a fucking **_freak_ ** , Sam.”  Water began pooling in her tear ducts blurring her vision.  “I’m not normal. Why the fuck do you still try to be nice? I could’ve fucking hurt you when you were skating!  Why aren’t you scared of me? I’m a fucking monster!” _Fuck, don’t cry now…_ Not that her body listened to her brain anyway, but it was worth a shot.  

“Carri-”  Sam stepped forward, now inches away from her, and placed his hands on her shoulders reassuringly.  “You are not a monster. You wouldn’t have hurt me, and that didn’t happen either way, so why worry about it now?”  

Carri’s eyes locked with his.   _He doesn’t understand.  He’s not listening._ “Sam, unplug your yobadamned ears! I **_can’t_ ** control this!  I don’t even know what this is!  There is no promise I wouldn’t have hurt you!”  Fear flooded through her words, her body shook and hands began growing cold.  Quickly, she shoved Sam away from her with such a force he staggered backward and fell to the ground.  “J-just go away and leave me alone!” Running to the confines of her home, slamming and locking her door behind her, she crumpled to the ground and finally let those held tears fall.  

 

* * *

 

**_Carrissa, it’s time for you to awaken._ ** _That fucking voice again.  Carrissa jolted awake. Not bothering to get dressed aside from a pair of shoes, she left the house with Addie whimpering for her to stay.  Closing the door behind her, she sprinted to Cindersnap forest West of Marnie’s Ranch. Ignoring her eruption of a migraine that threatened to detonate inside her skull, she approached a small lake followed by a tower.  That same tower from before, but this time it was different. As she approached the lone building’s door, no hole opened below her. Instead, the door swung open. A purple hair, bearded man stood inside away from the door._ **_I’ve been waiting for you, Carrissa Moongrove.  Wake up._ **

Carrissa’s eyes shot open, her hands moved to cradle her throbbing head as she tried to make out her new surroundings.  “W-where am I?” _Am I still dreaming?  Is this that tower?_ The surroundings definitely looked like the inside of a stone tower.  All kind of potion bottles and a giant cauldron sat in the room before her along with the purple haired man.  “Who are you and why am I here?!”

“It would seem you already know where you are.  Yes, you are in the stone tower in Cindersnap Forest.  No, you are not still dreaming. As for who I am, I am the great Wizard, M.  Rasmodius.” Carri’s eyes widened. _How did he-?_ Before she could even finish the thought, he answered.  “We magical beings can read minds too, if and when we want to.  I see you have been suffering with growing into your powers.”

Carri stood awestruck before the man she just met.  He already knew what she didn’t want anyone else to know.  Then the idea struck her, “Wait! Does that mean you know what is causing them?  Or how to help me control them? Or to take them away? I just want to be normal- I never asked for all this.  Life is no fairytale, and it’s better off that way.”

The wizard raised his eyebrow and gave her a quizzical look.  “You were born with arcane talents. I’m afraid that those cannot be removed”  The older man began pacing the main room looking for a spellbook. “They can be sealed, but we see how well that worked out for you.  Your seal has broken and your powers are flooding through with your emotions.”

“Wait, my emotions?”  Thinking back Carrissa remembered the first flicker of power was in Joja.  When she was mad at her boss and torched the computer station. She **was** furious.  When her crops were being attacked by the crows, she was upset, but she wasn’t mad when at Sam when he almost hit her.  “I wasn’t mad when Sam was skating. So how-”

“You were threatened; your powers reacted.  You were in danger. Simple as that. As for furthering your abilities,”  Rasmodius held up the books he had been gathering while speaking, “I have some reading material for you to use to learn some on your own.  However, I strongly suggest not using your powers unless you are with me. You seem most attuned to elemental spells, but that barrier can be passed with a lot of practice and studying.”  After what felt like absorbing hours of information, Carri began to drift off. There was so much more she wanted to know, but sleep began to overtake her. “We will meet every Wednesday and Sunday to work on your magic control.  Until then, young adept.”

 

(fanart of Carri by my friend Tahba.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Yoba. Again I am so so so sorry this took so long to get updated. Honestly I battled with myself over getting this out forever, and I'm still not entirely happy with this chapter. It has more dialogue than I care to put in a single chapter, but I feel it's needed for plot progression. Between losing a family member and trying to keep my depression at bay, life has been hectic. But thank you to those who are still reading.


	5. Dance of the Moonlight Jellies

The wizard’s words haunted Carri’s dreams.  Sitting up in her bed, drenched in a cold sweat she felt tears streaming down her face.   _ These stupid dreams are really starting to get the best of me.   _ Oh, how she wished it was all just a dream.  Reality checked in, however, when she noticed she had her mud covered boots on her feet.   _ So it was real?  I’m a monster who can’t control her magic and can’t get rid of it.  Even a seal wouldn’t help.  _ Glancing to her bedside, she noticed a stack of books.  Mentally making a note to read them after taking care of Selice, Marley and Addie, she set off to do her farm work for the day.  

 

After harvesting all her crops and preparing the soil for the next season, Carri took some quality time with her animals.  It had been a while since she had actually had the time to sit down and play with them. Sitting in the green grass while watching her chickens graze was peaceful, but what really topped off the relaxing feel was her german shepherd, golden retriever mix laying her head on her lap while next to her.  “Ya know, Addie, I’ve been so busy lately running errands for everyone and trying to spend time with everyone that I forgot how nice it could be to just take a day off.” The beautiful mut nuzzled into her owner as if she understood. “Maybe, I should just take a break from it all. No social interactions, no festivals, no anything.”  After letting the animals back in, Carri trekked back to her cabin. Changing back into pajamas and not planning to do anything else for the day besides eat and read, she plopped onto her bed and opened the first book and read until sleep overtook her.

 

The next week passed swiftly and she maintained mostly the same routine.  Feed the animals, spend some extra time petting and playing with them, then forage and visit Rasmodius.  Though they had decided on Wednesdays and Sundays to be their days for practice, Carri found herself longing for more information. 

 

“Rasmodius, look!  I did it!” She wore the grin of a child who just learned a new trick as she held out her hand for him to view a small flame dancing above the surface of her skin.  With the other hand she directed its movement and growth before closing her hands together and suffocating the flame completely. 

“That is quite the start.  Not even a week, and you have managed to create and control the flame to a degree.  I’m impressed, young Carrissa. Next we will start with the ice, and maybe even teach you a basic spell or two.”  

 

Carri smiled at the praise, but that smile faltered when he phone began to vibrate.   _ Maru.   _ “I’m sorry, I have to take this call.”  Nodding in response, the wizard stepped away and began sorting his things.  “Hey, Maru.”  _ Yeah, act like you haven’t been avoiding her or EVERYONE for a week. _

 

“Carri!”  Her excited voice flooded through the receiver.  “Are you okay? You haven’t been around in a while, so I started to get worried.  I went by your house to check on you a few times, but you were never home.”

 

Carri paced as she spoke.  “Y-yeah, sorry. I’ve been spending a lot of time foraging.”   _ It’s not a full lie.  I have been foraging.  _ “Just needed some space to sort some stuff out.”

 

“That’s fine.  We all like to be alone sometimes, but next time at least check in!”  Maru sounded like a scolding parent whose child had just moved out. Carri shook her head and giggled, trying to muffle her laugh.  “Anyway, I called to ask you about tonight’s festival! Are you coming to the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies?”

 

Carri inwardly cringed.  The last “dance” she had gone to, she felt like an outsider invading town.  No one knew her well enough to want to dance with her, and they all had their cliques.  “Um… I really don’t know if I’m up for another dance.”

 

“This one isn’t really a dance.  Lewis sends out a boat with a lantern on it, and a bunch of jellyfish approach the docks.  It’s beautiful. Even moody Sebastian likes this festival. Everyone in town comes to this one.  Even the hermit who lives in the woods comes out for this one.” 

 

Carri held back her laughter as she shot a side glance to the Wizard.  “A hermit in the woods, huh?” That caught the man’s attention, and he raised an eyebrow.  “I guess I will have to come to meet him. Can’t be part of the town without getting to know  _ everyone _ .” 

 

Maru chuckled.  “Good luck with that.  I’ve never seen him speak to anyone but maybe,” she hummed as she mentally counted the people, “Lewis, Marlon, and Linus.  You really should come though. Everyone’s missing you. Sam and Abby asked about you when they came to see Sebastian not too long ago.”

 

Giving it a moment of thought, Carri smiled and agreed.  “Yeah, I’ll be there. It’ll be nice to see everyone.”  _ Well, some of them anyway.   _ Still upset with Sam for not understanding, she could care less to see him.  Not until her powers were under control.  _ I do miss that sunshine boy though.  _

Maru’s voice broke her out of her trance.  She shook her head and tried to quell the flushing of her cheeks.  “So I guess I will see you there! Bye, Carri.” A click of the phone and a sigh from the farmer, summoned Rasmodius to her side.  

 

“So, you go to the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies?”  Curiosity got the best of her. “Sounds a little odd for you to break out of your ‘hermit’ shell.”

 

“I go to observe the Lunaloos… Or ‘Moonlight Jellies’ as you call them.  They possess an unusually potent magical aura for an aquatic life form.” He stated matter of factly before donning a mischievous grin.  “If you plan to attend, you better go prepare yourself. I doubt you want to go in charred clothing from your failed attempts this morning.  I doubt that would impress your love interest.”

 

“M-My what?!”  With deep crimson blush, Carri turned, refusing to face the wizard as she gathered her things.  “He’s not my love interest. He is just a friend. Though, I haven’t seen anyone in a week, so coming like my home was set ablaze is probably a bad idea.  I will see you there.” With that the witch in training, ran from the tower all the way to her cabin. When she arrived she made sure to let Addie out while she showered.  

 

_ Stupid Rasmodius.  He’s not anything like that.  I mean, he means a lot to me, but no way!  We are just friends! Damn it, Carri! You’re a freak.  Why would he or ANYONE want to be with a freak?  _ Depression settled back in, like an uninvited family member, overwriting all of her progress for the day.   _ Forget makeup.  I’ll probably just cry it off anyway.   _ She reached for her clothing when her shower was over and her body was deemed dry.  Sliding into her faded slightly torn blue jean shorts, a pair of black sandals, a black tank top and her red and black checkered flannel overshirt tied loosely at her waist she deemed herself ready.  Setting her signature red sunglasses atop her head, she was ready and walked out her front door to head for the beach.

 

Carri arrived just before midnight and made sure to talk to all the town folk aside from Sam and Sebastian.  She was happy she showed up around the same time as Abigail, knowing the goth girl would join Sam and Sebastian shortly before the event started.  Carri couldn’t help but feel a little bad over avoiding everyone for a week. Everyone asked about her. Jodi wanted to make sure she was eating enough, Robin said if it had anything to do with Sebastian she would handle it, and even Vincent was excited to see her again, going on and on about how cool the jellies were and how he wanted one as a pet, but Sam wouldn’t catch him one.

 

And that was when the mistake was made, the farmer glanced across the docks and saw Sam staring at her.  She could tell he wanted to approach her, but she wasn’t ready to see him yet. Turning quickly on her heels and heading the other way, she approached Rasmodius who shared history of the Lunaloos with her.  When midnight struck, Lewis sent off his boat and not even a few minutes after he did, the water was filled with magnificent lights approaching the docks from all over. A specific large green jellyfish caught her eye as it approached and stopped directly before her.  “They can sense you are destined for great things, young adept. Take it in stride as you continue your arcane and elemental studies.” The jellies danced in the water before the townspeople, but as swiftly as they came, they began their retreat back to the ocean depths.

  
_Maru was right, this festival was absolutely beautiful._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to all of those who have been following Life's No Fairytale! Feel free to leave a review in the comments! I'd love to hear what you all think!

**Author's Note:**

> Well, here we go! Hope you guys enjoyed! If you liked it, feel free to leave a kudo, review, or sub! Any feedback is appreciated!  
> Thank you to my lovely beta: Little Cakes! (Check her out at https://tinyconfectionary.tumblr.com/ She writes stardew and ff15 fics!)  
> And if you wanna talk, or have questions about my story so far, add me on tumblr!  
> https://shrialaharra.tumblr.com/


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